


Thanks for Playing

by canufeelthemagictonight



Series: Save Them All [6]
Category: Escape the Night (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Afterlife, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death Fix, Escape the Night Spoilers, Fear, Fix-It, Friendship, Funhouse Man, Gen, Gun Violence, Guns, Happy Ending, Heroism, Minor Character Death, Old Friends, Protectiveness, Rescue, Resurrection, Safiya lives, World Between Worlds, don't read if you haven't seen the first seven episodes of Season 3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-16 12:08:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15436731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canufeelthemagictonight/pseuds/canufeelthemagictonight
Summary: "This is the safe room," he snarls, his gun pointed directly at Willy's stupid face. "You're trespassing.Leave."Mortimer is back, and he still wants to save everyone...even if it means confronting people from his past.An Escape the Night AU.





	Thanks for Playing

**Author's Note:**

> Everyone say hooray for the Lazarus Harp, both in canon and in this series! Also, since this is an AU, we're not doing whatever "Mortimer is possessed now all of a sudden" nonsense they want to fling at us in canon. The guy just died like an hour ago. I think we should give him a break. Also, the g-slur pops up in this, mainly due to Willy being a jerk. Finally, Mortimer's last name is Wilson, because I heard somewhere that it was.

They've revived him. He's a bit shocked that resurrecting the dead was even an option, but it was, and now he's back in the lounge with most of his friends. Three are missing: Manny and Nikita, who have to go play in Willy's Funhouse for some reason, and Calliope, who's accompanying them to ensure that they both come out alive. Mortimer wanted to come as well, but Calliope insisted that he stay and keep an eye on the rest of the group.

Which is fine. He can do that. After all, he's still a bit woozy from the whole dying thing.

_He sees a church. A blonde woman and an Asian man stand in front of it, and they survey him like bored restaurant patrons whose dinner is taking forever to show up. "Impressive," says the woman. "You've actually managed to keep them all alive so far."_

_Mortimer smiles. "Yeah. I made a promise."_

_"Hm." She tilts her head. "Well, normally, I'd let you move on to heaven or hell, but...it seems as if the land of the living is not done with you yet, Mortimer Wilson. Very soon, you will get a second chance."_

_"A second chance?"_

_"Yes. And when you do, remember: one of the people you're trying to save has been to this place before."_

Mortimer can only assume that they meant Joey, who has apparently _also_ died at some point in his life. Good grief. Will the craziness _ever_ end?

He glances back at the psychedelic swirl, which has been placed out of his reach. He _swears_ he's seen it before. If only Colleen, Roi, Jc, and Teala hadn't stopped him from investigating it, he could've figured out...

Well, it doesn't matter now.

What matters are his friends. Safiya, Rosanna, and Matt sit together, a trio of sharp minds and golden hearts. Teala sits with Jc; she looks nervous, while he's wearing his usual calm smile. Roi and Colleen are having a very energetic conversation. Finally, Joey sits alone, and Mortimer wonders what's going on in his head. Maybe he should talk to him, one dead man to another, and get some answers about this devil's game.

He thinks of Manny and Nikita. He's seen how close they are, and he knows that if Calliope fails to save whoever loses, the other will be shattered permanently. He hopes it won't come to that.

Joey's voice interrupts his thoughts. "Omigod! Why is _he_ here?"

Mortimer looks up. Willy has invaded the lounge, a fishhook in his hand, his angry face showing. Mortimer's a smart guy, so he immediately puts two and two together and realizes that the Funhouse Man is here to kill his friends.

He can't have that.

Joey, Safiya, Matt, and Rosanna bunch up for protection. Jc says "nope" and heads for a corner of the room. Roi shields Colleen and Teala. Mortimer reaches for his gun.

"Stay away!" Joey hurls a pillow at Willy. "Why are you here? We didn't go in the challenge! What happened to them?"

_Manny...Nikita...Calliope...are they dead?_

There's no time to think about that. Mortimer pulls himself to his feet. "This is the safe room," he snarls, his gun pointed directly at Willy's stupid face. "You're trespassing. _Leave."_

"Oh, Mortimer." Willy switches his face to the happy setting. "It's so nice to see you again!"

Colleen turns pale. "How does he know your name?"

"We've met before," says Mortimer, trying not to think about the harmless insurance salesman that Willy used to be.

"No need to worry!" chuckles Willy. "I'll be gone in a flash. There's just a bit of business I have to take care of." He glances towards Safiya, and his face changes to the sad setting. "Once I'm done, I'll leave you alone. I promise."

"You're not going to hurt them," says Mortimer firmly. "If you're not out of this lounge by the time I count to ten, I'm going to shoot you. One...two...three..."

Willy's face changes back to the angry setting. "Your pretty little friends are still in my Funhouse, Mortimer. If you kick me out or kill me, _all three_ of them get the hook. _Including_ your gypsy girlfriend!"

Mortimer decides that he's done counting. He shoots Willy right in the head. _He's bluffing,_ he thinks as the Funhouse Man falls. _He can't hurt them now that he's gone. Calliope, Manny, and Nikita are going to come back. They have to._

There is silence, but eventually, Safiya breaks it. "Thank you, Mortimer." The Investigative Reporter sounds remarkably calm for a girl who came so close to being gutted by a fishhook, but a mix of fear and gratitude is still present in her brown eyes.

"You're welcome," he replies.

Five minutes later, Manny and Nikita return, and Calliope is right behind them. The group is back together. They all are still alive.

Mortimer enlists Jc and Manny to help him carry Willy's body out of the lounge. Jc suggests that they throw him to the birds, but Mortimer has a better idea. "Let's bury him in the Funhouse," he says, "since he loved that place so much."

So they lay Willy to rest in the Funhouse, and Mortimer takes a moment to say goodbye to his past. From now on, it's time for him to focus on the future.

**Author's Note:**

> Everything's back to normal in this universe, I guess. Well, until next week, when Mortimer will probably have to save whoever gets got in Episode 8. Fun times!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Changing Fate](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15615576) by [Bird_Of_Scarlet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bird_Of_Scarlet/pseuds/Bird_Of_Scarlet)




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